Modern high-performance enterprise data centers and middleware machine systems, such as Oracle's Exadata and Exalogic computer appliances, combine computer hardware and middleware software components that are engineered to work closely together. For example, a typical Exalogic appliance includes a cluster of processor nodes, each running one or more operating systems, virtual machines, application servers, and in-memory data grid software components; together with one or more storage or input/output nodes; all communicating with one another over high-speed communication fabrics.
In a multiple-node environment, such as an Exalogic-based environment, communicating efficiently between the multiple nodes and the software components executing thereon is an important factor in determining overall system performance. To address this, technologies such as InfiniBand can be used to provide a communication fabric between the nodes, which in turn delivers high data throughput, low latency, quality of service, failover, and scalability. These are the types of computing environments in which embodiments of the invention can be used.